Ana's POV
My eyes fluttered open to the harsh glare of fluorescent lights, the sterile scent of antiseptic stinging my nose. My head throbbed with a vengeance, each pulse a reminder of the chaos that had landed me here. "What the hell?" I groaned, wincing as I tried to sit up. The hospital bed creaked beneath me, and the thin blanket did little to ward off the chill of the room. My body ached like I'd been tossed into a blender, and my mind was a foggy mess, struggling to piece together how I'd ended up in this pristine, soulless place.
Before I could make sense of it, the door creaked open, and in walked a man who looked like he'd stepped straight out of a fantasy novel. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that fell just shy of his piercing gray eyes, he radiated an intimidating aura that made the air feel heavier. My heart did a traitorous flip, and my inner voice, ever the traitor squealed, Oh my God, who is this sex god? I mentally slapped myself. This was no time to swoon over a stranger, no matter how unfairly gorgeous he was.
"Get up," he barked, his voice low and commanding, like he was used to the world bending to his will. "You have to come with me."
I blinked, my jaw dropping at his audacity. "So... rude," I muttered under my breath, narrowing my eyes. "And who the hell are you?"
"Don't question me, human," he snapped, his tone dripping with disdain. "Stand up now, or I'll make you."
I scoffed, my temper flaring despite the pounding in my skull. The events of the previous night came rushing back like a tidal wave the club, Lizzy's antics, the club, the store to get Lizzy some hangover drug for the next day, the walk home, and then... the screech of tires, the blinding headlights, the impact that sent me sprawling. My eyes widened as I connected the dots. "Oh, wait a damn minute. It was you, wasn't it? You're the reckless idiot who hit me with your car!" I jabbed a finger in his direction, my voice rising with every word. "First, you drive like a maniac and land me in a hospital bed. Second, you have the nerve to waltz in here with zero manners, acting like the world revolves around you. And now you think you can order me around with that commanding tone? Listen up, dude, I'm not some weak, pathetic, spineless girl you can boss around. You'd better get out of here before I beat you black and blue!"
My outburst echoed in the small room, and I could feel my cheeks flushing with righteous fury. The man, Mr. Rude, as I'd now dubbed him; stared at me, his eyes darkening with something that looked dangerously close to rage. For a moment, I thought he might actually snap me in half. His jaw clenched, his fists tightened, and I swear I saw a flicker of something unnatural in his eyes; a flash of gold that sent a shiver down my spine. But I wasn't about to back down. Anabella didn't cower, not even in the face of a guy who looked like he could bench-press a car.
"Miss, please calm down," came a softer, unfamiliar voice, cutting through the tension. I whipped my head around to see another man standing in the doorway, one I hadn't noticed until now. He was leaner than Mr. Rude, with kind hazel eyes and a disarming smile that instantly put me at ease. He was handsome too, though not in the same heart-stopping, intimidating way as the guy I'd just chewed out. "He didn't mean to upset you," the new guy said, shooting a pointed look at his companion.
"Oh, geez, and who are you?" I asked, pointing a finger at him, my tone still sharp but less venomous. I hadn't even seen him come in, too distracted by my shouting match with the human equivalent of a thundercloud.
The second man stepped forward, his movements calm and deliberate. He whispered something to Mr. Rude, too low for me to catch, and to my surprise, the brooding giant actually listened. With one last glare in my direction, Mr. Rude stalked out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. I raised an eyebrow, impressed despite myself. Whoever this new guy was, he had some pull.
"I'm Daniel," he said, offering a warm smile and extending his hand for a handshake. "And you are?"
"Anabella," I replied, shaking his hand cautiously. "But you can call me Ana. Now, will you please explain what the hell is going on here? Why am I in a hospital, and why is that guy acting like he owns me?"
Daniel pulled up a chair and sat beside my bed, his expression turning serious but kind. "Ana, there's a lot you need to understand, and I promise I'll explain as best I can." He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a difficult conversation. "First, I'm sorry about Xavier, he's the one who brought you here. He's... intense, but he means well. You're in the hospital because of an accident. Xavier was driving, and he hit you. He feels terrible about it, even if he has a funny way of showing it."
I snorted, crossing my arms. "Yeah, 'terrible' must mean something different where he's from, because all I got was attitude."
Daniel chuckled softly, but his eyes remained earnest. "Xavier's not like most people. He's... different. And so is the situation you're in now." He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Ana, you're not just some random person to him. You're his mate. In our world, that's a bond deeper than anything you can imagine. Xavier is the Alpha of our pack, the Moonlight Pack and you're destined to be our Luna, our leader alongside him."
I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Mate? Luna? Pack? What is this, some kind of werewolf fanfiction?" I laughed, but it came out shaky. "You're telling me that guy is a werewolf, and I'm supposed to be his... what, his soulmate? Because he ran me over? That's the worst meet-cute I've ever heard."
Daniel's smile was patient, but there was a weight to his words that made my skepticism waver. "I know it sounds insane, but it's true. Xavier's been searching for you for years. His wolf recognized you the moment he saw you, even in the chaos of the accident. That's why he was so shaken-he's not used to feeling this way. And when you yelled at him... well, let's just say no one talks to the Alpha like that and walks away unscathed. If you weren't his mate, and if he wasn't trying so hard to control his anger, things could've gone very differently."
I frowned, remembering the flash of gold in Xavier's eyes, the way his presence seemed to fill the room with raw power. "So, what, he's dangerous? Is that supposed to make me feel better about going with him?"
"He can be dangerous," Daniel admitted, "but not to you. Never to you. His wolf would sooner tear him apart than let him hurt you. But Ana, there's more at stake here than just you and Xavier. The pack needs you. Without a Luna, Xavier's control is slipping, and the pack is on the verge of chaos. You're the only one who can bring balance, who can keep him grounded."
I leaned back against the pillows, my mind reeling. "This is a lot to process, Daniel. I mean, I have my own life, my own problems. I can't just drop everything to play savior for a bunch of werewolves I don't even know. And Xavier? He doesn't exactly scream 'team player.'"
Daniel's expression softened, his voice almost pleading. "I get it, Ana. This is overwhelming, and you don't owe us anything. But I'm asking you to consider it. Xavier's like this cold, guarded because he's broken inside. He's carried the weight of the pack for years, and it's tearing him apart. You're his light, the one thing that can pull him out of the darkness. And the pack... we're not just a group of wolves. We're families, children, people who are counting on you to help us survive."
His words hit me harder than I expected. I thought of Lizzy, my best friend, who'd probably be freaking out by now, wondering where I was. I thought of my quiet life, my job at the bookstore, my evenings spent with a good book and a cup of tea. Could I really walk away from that to join some supernatural soap opera? But then I thought of the desperation in Daniel's eyes, the flicker of pain behind Xavier's rage. What if people got hurt because I said no? What if I could actually make a difference?
I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair. "Alright, listen. I don't know you guys, and this whole thing is insane. But... I don't know why, I feel like I can trust you. And if there are innocent people depending on me, I can't just ignore that. I don't want anyone dying when I could've done something to stop it." I paused, weighing my next words. "But I'm not just going to run off with you. I need to go home, pack my things, and talk to my best friend. She deserves to know what's going on well, as much as I can explain without sounding like I've lost my mind."
Daniel nodded, relief washing over his face. "That's fair. We'll give you time to sort things out. Here's my number." He scribbled it on a piece of paper from the bedside table and handed it to me. "Call me when you're ready, and I'll send someone to pick you and your friend up. Finding your address won't be an issue trust me."
I raised an eyebrow, tucking the paper into my pocket. "Yeah, I'm starting to get that you guys have your ways." I hesitated, then added, "Just... keep Mr. Rude on a leash until I figure this out, okay?"
Daniel laughed, a genuine sound that eased some of the tension in the room. "I'll do my best. Thank you, Ana. You have no idea how much this means."
As he left, I sank back into the pillows, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Werewolves, mates, a pack in need of saving, it was all too much. But somewhere deep inside, a tiny spark of curiosity burned. Who was Xavier, really? And why did the idea of seeing him again make my heart race, despite his infuriating attitude? Whatever came next, one thing was clear: my life was about to change in ways I couldn't even begin to imagine.